“Tyler Kistner’s support for repealing the Affordable Care Act and giving handouts to ultra-wealthy corporations is the foundation of a reckless agenda that Minnesotans just can’t afford. In sharp contrast, Angie Craig is the daughter of a single mom who worked to put herself through college and knows firsthand the challenges Minnesota families are facing. In Congress, I’ve seen Angie work harder than anyone to make sure every Minnesotan can succeed, and I look forward to continuing to fight alongside her to make that a reality.” – DCCC Chairwoman Cheri Bustos
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To: Interested Parties
From: Brooke Goren, DCCC Regional Press Secretary
Date: June 2, 2020
Subject: The Case Against Tyler Kistner
Today’s filing deadline in Minnesota’s 2nd Congressional District amplifies Washington Republicans’ failure to recruit and run a credible candidate in this largely suburban seat, cementing Rep. Angie Craig’s strong prospects for re-election.
With virtually no name recognition, less than $100,000 in the bank, and $40,000 in debt, the road ahead looks treacherous for MN GOP endorsed candidate Tyler Kistner. He is saddled with damaging and unpopular positions, including his support for repealing our current health care system and support for the 2018 GOP Tax Scam that lined the pockets of the ultra-wealthy and big corporations while putting Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block. As the COVID-19 pandemic dominates public consciousness, Kistner will also have to explain to Minnesotans why he irresponsibly promoted a drug associated with increased virus deaths.
While Kistner is already proving himself to be a threat to middle class families, Rep. Craig has built a strong brand as an advocate for access to quality, affordable health care who will always put Minnesota first. After running and winning in 2018 on her commitment to fight for lower health care costs, Rep. Craig has proposed legislation that would lower insurance premiums. She has been a champion for rooting corruption out of government, introducing legislation that would prohibit members of Congress from becoming lobbyists or owning individual stocks. Ever the bipartisan problem solver, her bill to save Americans billions in taxpayer dollars was signed into law by President Trump earlier this year.
A strong fundraiser who has proven that she is willing to work with anyone to get things done for Minnesota, Rep. Craig has put herself in a prime position for re-election in November.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
HEADLINE: Lowering health care costs, bipartisan approach are top priorities, Craig says [Savage Pacer, 2/20/20]
HEADLINE: Rep. Angie Craig wants to ban members of Congress from owning stocks. After coronavirus-related trading by senators, her bill’s getting renewed attention [MinnPost, 3/25/20]
HEADLINE: Rep. Angie Craig might actually get a bill signed by President Trump. Why that’s such a notable accomplishment [MinnPost, 2/7/20]
HEADLINE: Coronavirus In Minnesota: Rep. Angie Craig Pushes For Gov’t To Send $500 Checks For Dependent Adults [WCCO, 4/2/20]
“In Minnesota, Rep. Angie Craig had more than $2 million on hand, more than 20 times her closest opponent.” [Bloomberg, 4/17/20]
Tyler Kistner: Virtually Unknown, Broke, and Saddled with Washington Republicans’ Unpopular Agenda
A THREAT TO MINNESOTANS’ HEALTH CARE
Time and again, voters have named quality, affordable health care as the top issue keeping them awake at night. But Tyler Kistner clearly isn’t listening.
Asked whether he would vote to get rid of our current health care system, Kistner unequivocally said he “would repeal” the Affordable Care Act, which would gut protections for 307,800 people in MN-02 with pre-existing conditions, leave millions of Americans without access to critical services, and raise prescription drug costs.
As the COVID-19 pandemic impacts families across Minnesota, Kistner has used his platform as a candidate to irresponsibly push misinformation that could hurt Minnesotans. He encouraged the use of hydroxychloroquine, an anti-malarial drug that one recent study found to have no benefit, while being associated with more deaths.
Meanwhile, Rep. Angie Craig’s record could not offer a starker contrast against Kistner’s disastrous agenda. After running on making health care more affordable in 2018, Craig has spent her first 16 months in Congress focused on lowering health care premiums and prescription drug costs. In the face of the coronavirus pandemic, Craig has pushed for a coordinated national plan for providing personal protective equipment to prevent the spread of the virus and protect health care workers on the frontline.
A RUBBERSTAMP ON WASHINGTON REPUBLICANS’ RECKLESS AGENDA
After just a few months on the campaign trail, Tyler Kistner has been a vocal supporter for some of the most reckless components of Washington Republicans’ agenda.
Republicans lost the House in 2018 in part because everyday Americans rejected the massive tax scam they passed to give wealthy corporations a handout on the backs of middle class families. That has not stopped Kistner from going all in on the tax scam, advocating to expand the law.
Kistner showed his true Washington colors when he applauded the most recent Trump Administration budget, saying that it “has the right priorities.” But that budget slashed hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicare and Medicaid, proposed deep cuts to SNAP food assistance, cut Social Security by $26 billion, and last but not least called for a $1.2 billion decrease in funding for the Center for Disease Control’s budget.
In Congress, Rep. Craig has shown that she’s different. She has cut through Washington’s gridlock by reaching across the aisle to get things done for Minnesota and worked with the President to save taxpayers money and pass a new trade deal for farmers across the state.
PATH TO VICTORY
MN-02 is a primarily suburban district with a higher share of college-educated voters than the state of Minnesota and the entire country, reflecting the kind of communities that have shifted rapidly towards Democrats in the age of Trump. What’s more, Rep. Angie Craig has built a strong brand as a health care champion who always puts Minnesotans first.
In 2018, Rep. Craig won by more than 5 points in this district, regaining ground where Democrats have historically been successful. President Obama won here twice, while Senator Klobuchar and Governor Walz each won this district in their most recent reelections.
Tyler Kistner’s undying loyalty to the increasingly unpopular President and support for Washington Republicans’ reckless attempts to repeal our current health care system puts him in a difficult spot with the independent-minded voters whose support he needs to win in November. And as suburban voters trend away from Republicans in Washington, that loyalty will continue to be a problem for him.
While Kistner is a poor fundraiser who has struggled to raise the resources necessary to mount a competitive bid in the expensive Minneapolis media market, Rep. Craig has put together an impressive re-election campaign with the resources necessary to win. As of the end of March, she has already amassed a stockpile of more than $2 million cash on hand.
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